Former Manatee High soccer coach faces DUI charges

A former boys' soccer coach at Manatee High School was charged with driving under the influence after firefighters stopped his vehicle and called authorities.

Colby West, 29, was arrested at 11 p.m. Thursday after he allegedly struck a fence and sign at Fogartyville Cemetery, near Third Avenue West and 43rd Street West. Firefighters saw West driving away from the scene in a silver Nissan Altima with its front bumper hanging off, according to the Manatee County Sheriff's Office.

The fire truck followed West as he allegedly swerved on Manatee Avenue West and almost crashed while pulling into a parking lot.

Concerned for the safety of the driver and others, the firefighters pulled West over and waited until deputies arrived.

West slurred his words, had bloodshot eyes, swayed while standing, had tremors and took 30 minutes to find his driver's license that was inside his pocket, deputies reported.

A Manatee High School graduate, West played quarterback on the football team and was a first-team all-state goalie on the soccer team. He became head coach of the Hurricanes last season but his teaching contract was not renewed and he is no longer coaching at Manatee.

West told deputies he had visited a friend's grave at the cemetery earlier that evening. When leaving, he said he accidentally put the vehicle in drive instead of reverse, hit a culvert and drove away.

After a field sobriety test, a deputy determined that West was impaired. A breath sample revealed he had not consumed alcohol.

Inside West's vehicle, a deputy found a prescription bottle for Alprazolam. Deputies determined West was under the influence of a depressant and other medication, his arrest report states.

West is charged with driving while impaired and leaving a crash scene with property damage.

West was released from the Manatee County Jail Friday after posting a $620 bail.